Chess Rivalry Stretches Across 6 Years, 5,000 Miles

The UT Dallas chess team faces a rival Friday that it has met in battle many times before, though never face to face.

It’s the sixth competition for the Transatlantic Cup, held annually via Internet between UT Dallas and the University of Belgrade.

A UT Dallas squad of 16 players will play via computer from the stage in the Davidson Auditorium of the Naveen Jindal School of Management on Friday, Nov. 4, at 12:30 p.m. Watching their every move from computer screens more than 5,000 miles away will be their Serbian opponents.

“We are pleased to present our annual fall chess match for The Transatlantic Cup. No matter what the final count is on the boards, the prevailing winner has always been the impressive high level sportsmanship and conduct demonstrated by both teams,” said Jim Stallings, the chess program director.

The 16 UT Dallas team members, which includes three Grandmasters, the highest possible chess ranking, will play for about an hour and a half in a rapid-style competition.

Last year’s match ended with a final point tally of 11.5-4.5 in favor of Belgrade’s team.

"As much as we like the competition, we'd like to see the Transatlantic Cup back at UT Dallas," added Stallings

The library is also hosting a viewing reception in the McDermott Library Conference Room (MC 4.214) located on the fourth floor.

Board pairings and more information about the Belgrade match can be found on the chess website.